Sound the four of Guianese Serenade and with them millions of people sing the well-known melodies that for 50 years They have been part of the cultural DNA of the country. There is no Venezuelan who does not know any of the many topics of this quartet that for five decades has overcome difficulties to remain active and relevant. Several generations grew up listening to his characteristic ripping, especially the children who are still formed by his example of love for Venezuela. This year, after decades of unforgettable verses, Serenata Guayanesa will commemorate so many years of songs, encounters, bonuses and calypsos. The quartet will perform at two functions of The flea and the louse want to get married, its anniversary show that on July 16 and 17, at 4:00 pm and 11:00 am, respectively, will turn the Reyna Rivers Room of the Teresa Carreño Theater at a party for venezuelan.
the year ran 1971 when a quartet of musicians made up of Hernán Gamboa (tenor and cuatrista), Iván Pérez Rossi (baritone and cuatrista), César Pérez Rossi (baritone and percussionist) and Mauricio Castro Rodríguez (countertenor and percussionist) sang together informally among friends. The presentation, where they interpreted typical melodies of the region, took place in the house of the then governor of Bolívar state, Manuel Guarrido. None of the four knew what awaited them: five decades of successful career that consolidated them as an indisputable reference of Venezuelan folklore. Since then, from that lucky chance, Serenata Guayanesa began a successful and renowned tour, leaving his mark on Venezuelan music and, above all, on the country’s history.
When the group released their first album, in August 1971, entitled Guyanese Serenade, the musician, composer and renowned cuatrista Cheo Hurtado I was only 10 years old. The album became for him a reference book that he listened to to imitate the quartet’s characteristic ripping plucking. Now, after 50 years, one of the most important performers of cuatro in the country will accompany Serenata Guayanesa on his anniversary as one of the guest musicians.
“I feel very proud of my countrymen. The best gift for an artist is national or international recognition and the love of the people. Serenata Guayanesa has taught us in these 50 years to grow with themin a single team brings together what the Leones del Caracas, Magallanes and La Vinotinto can gather,” said Hurtado, 62.
In addition to Hurtado, the great Francisco Pacheco and Annaé Torrealba. The quartet will also share the stage with the children of the My toy is a song project, who will be accompanied by the Vasallos de Venezuela group. Ensemble Gurrufío, whose album with Serenata Guayanesa is one of the best sellers, will have a special participation.
«I am in charge of singing one of the songs that has entered the hearts of Venezuelans: ‘River Traveler. I remember that in the celebration of 25 years they also gave me the responsibility of singing that song. One of the important things about that celebration was that the composer of the song, Manuel Yáñez, was present. I remember every time I walked off the stage and came back to the dressing room he would get it for me, he would see me, give me a hug and cry. That gave me an immense emotion. After 25 years, once again, we will have the presence of ‘Viajera del Río’, said Pacheco.
With the joy of return
50 years are said to be easy, but they are not and Serenata Guayanesa has known prevail over time despite the changes, absences and social networks. The group underwent some modifications when Hernán Gamboa, who died in 2016, decided in 1984 to continue his career as a soloist. At that time, the doctor and singer Miguel Ángel Bosch joined and, more recently, Sabin Aranaga as baritone and second four.
At its anniversary gala, the quartet will also celebrate that new emotion of meeting the audience again after the pandemic. “We will have the pleasure of sing in chorus with the audience. What we do is act as choir directors. There are two or three new songs that came out and that we are also going to perform, “said Mauricio Castro Rodríguez.
The singer related that every time they have the opportunity to share with a friend, in some region of the country, they find the possibility of come up with a new topic. “I came to look for you”, a Christmas bonus; «Where is the girl», «Ancient recipe for love», «If you finish with me» or «El domplin» are some of those recent songs that they will sing on the anniversary.
“We are also planning a show in several states of the country. I think it is important to celebrate these 50 years of Serenata Guayanesa with Venezuela. From 25 to 50 we have worked a lot, we have done many tours, concerts and records like the 45 year old. We have made very good recordings, we have worked with the orchestras. We did a scheduled tour of the choirs. We continue to work and we will continue to do so”, added Miguel Ángel Bosch.
No resistance to change
Serenata Guayanesa does not have a magic formula that has made the group prevail over time for fifty years and continue in force in an environment where social networks prevail, with which several of its members are not familiar. The secret, admits Iván Pérez Rossi, is in give priority to the group and the music above the rest.
“In our case the love for Venezuela is the north of the work we do, if it wasn’t for that this would have been over long ago. Personally, I went through 3 marriages, but Serenata Guayanesa was always the priority, we carry it in our hearts. My wife once asked me if I loved her group more than her. I replied: who already knows the answer does not ask nonsense, “said the youngest of the Pérez Rossi brothers.
During his speech, he confessed to having several personal jobs, albums he worked on and with which he does not know what to do. «For example, I have a CD of romantic music, I don’t know what I will do with it, I don’t know why I don’t manage social networks. I continue to compose and I would like to make a new album, but now that is terrible because one makes a song and we have to make a video so that people can see us and know that we are alive », he commented.
In this regard, Sabin Aranaga, the fifth and most recent member of the group, explained that it is not a question of resistance to the vertiginous change imposed by technology. He explained: “We don’t refuse networks because it is evolution, it is what it is and we cannot go against evolution. But we assume things little by little, we are not denied. We continue with the evolution and Serenata Guayanesa is an evolution. The flea and the louse follow.
After years of being a benchmark in schools where teachers still teach “The Flea and the Piojo”, Serenata Guayanesa is not afraid of change. Nor are they afraid of the challenge of carrying their songs to the new generations that are being raised amid the rise of social platforms.
«We had to go personally to the places in the world where we wanted to make ourselves known. Now with social networks they record us and take us digitally. Serenata Guayanesa and the rest of us don’t come across social media; the nets met us because we were already here”, concluded Cheo Hurtado.
50 years of anecdotes and good memories
Total love for the national song and for the countryThis is how Iván Pérez Rossi defines the trajectory of Serenata Guayanesa during these 50 years. In those decades he has lived with the quartet many unique moments. Among them a concert in the city of Hanover, Germany, in 2000. «They told us: we have a surprise for you. Then a group of German children came singing ‘El papagayo’. It was going to give me something to see those German children singing in a Castilian all tangled theme. They told us that they were teaching them Spanish with the songs of Serenata Guayanesa », he recounted.
He also fondly recalled when they did a spot with the Bigott Foundation on a special show called Meeting With… On that occasion they were asked to visit the children in Canaima. «The children received us singing our songs, it was the 80s there was no social network, they were in an inhospitable camp. But the children sang our songs because the teachers taught them to do so, and that’s how it continues to be,” said Pérez Rossi.
Accompanied by their multicolored parrot that has been flying the clouds of the sky for five decades, Serenata Guayanesa will have a rich repertoire in both presentations. Tickets, priced from $20 to $80, can be purchased at the TTC box office or on the ticketing page. MakeTicket. Songs such as “Calipso de El Callao”, “El papagayo”, “La flea y el piojo”, “El dompling”, “El sapo” or “Señor Gabán” will be part of the repertoire that seeks to celebrate his extensive discography that, in the Currently, it has 32 recorded albums, in addition to 50 special editions and countless appearances in productions by other artists.
